Last week the winter coats came out. The sun is trying its best to convince us that summer hasn’t quite left the scene but it is losing its power.
Travelling in the car, with sunlight streaming through the windows, is pleasantly warm, but as soon as we get out, we reach for our coats.
We’ve had some much-needed rain, but has it been enough to improve the condition of our soil? Despite the recent rainfall, a drought has now been declared in Yorkshire because of low water levels in the reservoirs. The Environment Agency says that we need 120% of average rainfall over the winter to replenish supplies.
A plan that had been cancelled several times finally came to fruition, and Ruby achieved a fourth stamp in her Pooch Passport.
Home Garden
Gardening took a back seat last week. The only garden-related jobs were a bit of a tidy-up in the greenhouse and some maintenance work on the roof.
At the Allotment
We continued clearing the beds in preparation for winter. The rain last week appears to have had little effect, as the soil remains really dry. With reservoir levels so low, it looks as though we need a lot more rain before conditions improve.
One of our pear trees has already lost most of its leaves. It’s a lazy tree that, apart from providing lovely spring blossom, does little to earn its keep. It hasn’t produced a single pear!
We gathered up the remaining squashes. Other than the butternut, the plants haven’t produced much fruit this year, and what they have produced is very small.
Before heading home, we picked some outdoor tomatoes and a cabbage for dinner.
Out and About
Temple Newsam
Do you remember that, in my previous post, I mentioned some major digging work that was going on? The banking had become overgrown, and in one area the vegetation had been cleared. I wonder what the plans are for this area?
The walled garden, like our allotment, suffers from bindweed.
They have grassed over part of their perennial border as an experiment. The idea is that constant mowing will eventually weaken and kill the bindweed. It will be interesting to see whether it works, as bindweed is certainly a problem that many gardeners would like to solve!
The Local Park
Sweet chestnuts are falling like giant hailstones. There are still plenty clinging to the tree, but the ground is scattered with empty shells. I wonder whether the squirrels have been busy gathering the nuts, or whether human foragers have beaten them to it?
Lyme Park
We had been planning a day out at Lyme Park for several weeks, but something always seemed to get in the way and force us to abandon our plans. Last week, however, we finally made it.
As Lyme Park is in Cheshire, our visit involved a journey over the Pennines. On the way, we passed Woodhead Reservoir. Unsurprisingly, after our very dry spring and summer, the water level was extremely low.
After lunch, we headed up the hill towards a small building known as The Cage.
On the way, we passed a herd of red deer grazing beside the path. This was a lucky sighting, as a very regular visitor told us that he had never seen them so close before.
The herd included both stags and does, as the rutting season is beginning, one large stag was practising his bellow.
The Cage looks rather like a small castle perched on top of the hill. The present building replaced an earlier structure and was rebuilt in the eighteenth century.
There are sundials on three sides of the building, although they are now very worn. I wonder how accurately they once told the time?
The purpose of The Cage seems to have changed over the years. It is thought to have been used as a hunting lodge and a banqueting hall, as well as a lock-up for poachers awaiting trial and, later, a home for estate workers. It certainly has an interesting history for such a small building.
The view from the tower must once have been impressive, although the landscape would have looked very different from the view we see today.
We took the rugged path down towards the house.
As we approached, I noticed the lead statues along the roofline, some of which depict characters from Greek mythology. They are easy to overlook when admiring the house itself, but they add an interesting detail to the roof.
We then made our way to the gardens, which the National Trust describes as being its highest garden. First, we looked down on the remains of the Elizabethan garden before exploring the area more closely.
Eventually, we reached the perennial garden, which was still full of colour. At this time of year, it was lovely to see so much still in flower. The higher altitude means the plants begin to flower later which extends the flowering season, giving the garden interest later into the year.
Our visit ended with a walk through the rose garden and past the formal beds before we headed home, with four stamps in Ruby’s Pooch Passport
Finally
Autumn is definitely making its presence felt, with the winter coats coming out and the leaves beginning to fall. There is still plenty to do at the allotment as we clear the beds for winter, although the dry soil is a reminder that we still need much more rain.
Meanwhile, there are always interesting places to visit.
It was good to finally make it to Lyme Park after several false starts, and the red deer were an added bonus. Ruby was happy too, with another stamp in her Pooch Passport!
Let’s hope we get plenty of rain over the coming months, without it arriving all at once. In the meantime, we’ll keep making the most of the autumn sunshine whenever it appears.
Don’t forget to check out Martyn’s new look diary page
As always until next time stay safe and stay well
There’s no denying that autumn’s definitely here. I had my winter coat on last week too and the sock’s are out now too. Glad you made it to Lyme, it’s a lovely property.